My best memories from my studying days are definitely related to the literature practicum held by Irja Rane and Pentti Lassila. Those sessions were truly revolutionary – I learned critical thinking, I learned to justify my opinions and I learned to trust my expertise. From the writing work in the practicum and the discussions we had, I got to experience the feeling that I could do this and that I wanted to write for a living.

The other things related to my study days which have been very useful to me in my career were the basic studies that I took on art history. Through the basic studies on the domestic art scene and the history of the art world, I gained a broad knowledge of cultural life in general. I remember the various field trips made around Finland as well as the dark lecture halls where we looked at images from the world of art. The world of painting has always been linked to literature, so art history is strongly linked to the study of literature.